A Confederacy of Dunces

Fortunately they are in Sweden.

A Swedish police officer who blew the whistle on a convicted paedophile’s plans to start a youth education centre has been fined for defamation.

In the summer of 2007, policeman Kent Eriksen met the man in question and later learned that he had been sent to prison for molesting a 13-year-old boy.

Eriksen subsequently heard through an acquaintance that the same man was planning to open the education centre for young people.

Altogether, the convicted paedophile had received about 6 million kronor ($743,000) from the fund to launch an education centre for young people with special needs.

According to the Expressen newspaper, the man had been convicted for luring a 13-year-old boy from a public swimming pool with the promise of a chance to ride on the man’s motorcycle.

The man then took the boy to his home and sexually molested him. In the coming months, the man took the boy to his home and several occasions, where he had both oral and anal sex with the boy.

When police raided the man’s home, they found pictures of child pornography in the man’s computer as well as pornographic videos featuring children.

The man claimed the boy was lying about the abuse and that the child pornography in the apartment wasn’t his, but the court rejected the man’s claims.

While government officials were thankful to receive the police officer’s tip, and consequently cut off funding for the project, Eriksen’s attempt to be a Good Samaritan resulted in charges of defamation.

“Viewed objectively, therefore, it was not justifiable to bring the conviction to the attention of the Inheritance Fund,” wrote the court.

Eriksen was ordered to pay a total of 80,000 kronor, including attorney fees, compensation to the paedophile, interest, and a fine of 48,000 kronor.

Let's review. Policeman discovers convicted pedophile planning to open a center for disabled youth. Policeman points out this may not be such a good idea. Policeman fined for defamation.

Yet people wonder why we have problems in the world.

I'll use this opportunity to remind everyone that almost 400 YEARS AGO no less an authority than Williams Shakespeare wrote, "First thing we do is kill all the lawyers."

We never learn, do we?